Cylinder lock



May 28, 1935. s. A. mss 2,003,086

CYLINDER LOCK Filed March 51, 1935 J6 fff A ZZ f@ /3 Patented May 28, 1935 CYLINDER LOCK Samuel A. Liss,

Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation,

Milwaukee,

is., a corporation oi' Delaware Application March 31, 1933, Serial No. 663,805

24 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to new and useful improvements in locks and refers more particularly to' cylinder locks.

It.. is a general object of this invention to provide ka lock having exceptional security against picking and decoding.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a lock in which the cylinder is securedv against movement by an auxiliary locking member or tumbler, or a plurality of such locking members or tumblers held in operative locking position as long as any on'e of the regular key operable tumblers is in any but its fully retracted position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lock oi' the character described in which the individual springs for the key operable tumblers areuetained in position by a cover plate which also completely closes the ends of the tumbler pockets or recesses through which the tumblers are inserted into the cylinder so that the tumblers are entirely enclosed Within the cylinder.

Another object of this invention is to provide yan improved manner of securing a lock cylinder against rotation in its mounting member wherein the locking function is performed by a member or members disposed longitudinally of the cylinder to have a large area thereof engaged with the cylinder and the mountingvmember to preclude the possibility of forcing the cylinder from its locked position.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly deilned by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment i0 vention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

'I'he accompanying drawing illustrates two complete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the 5 best modes so far devised for the practical application -of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevationV and partly in longitudinal section illustrating a lock 0 embodying this invention and showing the cylinder turned from its locked position and partially withdrawn;

Figure 2 is a cross section View through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 2 2;

i Figure 3 is a longitudinal section view through of the herein disclosed in- (Cl. 'l0-47) the lock showing the cylinder in position and locked against rotation;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the locking members or auxiliary tumblers which secure the cylinder .against rotation;

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of one of the tumblers employed in the lock illustrated in Figure l;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section view taken through, Figure 'I on the plane of the line 6 6, showing a slightly modified form of this invention;

Figure 7 is a cross section view through Figure 6 on the plane of the line 1 1;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section view taken through Figure '7 on the plane of the line 8 8; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the tumbler used in the modification shown in Figure 6.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates the mounting. member or casing of the lock bored as at 6, to receive a lock cylinder l.

The cylinder is removably secured in the mounting member or casing by a ange 8 at the front of the cylinder engaging in a counterbore 9, and a releasable retaining member I 0 mounted on the inner end of the cylinder and engageable with the adjacent end of the mounting member or casing. An angle plate II iixed to the inner end of the cylinder to provide means for transmitting rotation to mechanism controlled (not shown), 4slidably mounts the retaining member, and a spring I2 yieldably urges the same to a position projecting its lower end over the inner edge of the bore 6.

This releasable cylinder securing means forms the subject matter of a copending application.

To enable withdrawal and insertion of the cylinder, the retaining member III may be lifted against the action of its spring I2 by the extended end of a special key I3, as illustrated in I Figure 1. The regular key I3', shown in Figure 6, is of insufcient length to engage the retaining member, so that during normal operation of the lock, the cylinder does not become detached.

A keyway I4 extends inwardly from the front of' the cylinder with its bottom opening to the surface of the cylinder, although it is to be understood that for the purposes of the invention, the keyway need not break through the cylinder surface. At its inner portion, the keyway communicates with a plurality of transverse tumbler receiving recessesor pockets l5 in which individual tumblers I6 are mounted for actuation by either the special key I3 or the regular key I3.

In the embodimentillustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the key operable tumblers are of the pin type, circular in cross-section, whereas in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive, the tumblers I6' are of the flat plate type. This is the only difference between the two modications illustrated. y

Individual springs l1 conned between the outer ends of the tumblers and a plate I8 embedded in the body of the cylinder across the open tumbler recesses and flush with the cylindrical surfaceof the cylinder, yieldably project the tumblers inwardly toward the keyWay Ill. In the absence of a key, the inner ends of the tumblers rest on the substantially closed bottom of the tumbler opening.

The circular pin type tumblers particularly shown in Figure 5, have V-shaped grooves I9 and the flat plate-like tumblers, shown in Figure 9, have V-shaped notches 20 in their opposite side edges. These grooves or sets of opposite notches are adapted to receive the inner beveled edges 2| of auxiliary locking tumblers or bars 22, radially slidable in slots 23 formed in the cylinder body .on opposite sides of the tumbler recesses, when all of the tumblers are moved to their unlocked positions.

The auxiliary locking tumblers or bars 22 are yieldably urged to their inoperative positions engaging their inner edges with the tumblers, by springs 24 disposed in recesses 25 in the auxiliary locking tumblers or bars and held in place by spring retaining plates 26 embedded in the cylinder.

When the cylinder is in its locked position of rotation, the auxiliary locking tumblers or bars are in line with longitudinal grooves 21 formed in the mounting member or casing 5 in communication with its bore 6 to be engaged in such grooves by the cam action of the inclined sides of the grooves or notches in the key operable tumblers upon withdrawal'of the key from the cylinder. In other words, the individual springs l1 of the key operable tumblers are each individually of suflicient strength to overcome the action of the springs 24 and push the locking bars 22 outwardly into the grooves 21 to secure the cylinder against rotation.

When the proper key is inserted, the tumblers I6 are moved to their unlocked inactive positions at which the right grooves or notches in the tumblers align with the inner edges of the locking bars permitting the springs 24 of the locking bars to move the same to their inoperative positions freeing the cylinder for rotation. With certain of the tumblers provided with two or more grooves or notches of the proper depth to allow dispositionfof the locking members in their unlocked positions, keys of different bittings may be used on 4the same lock for master keying.

By providing additional or false grooves or notches of differing depths in the tumblers, the security against possible picking is further enhanced, as the false notches or grooves make it impossible for the picker to determine when the tumblers are in `their releasing positions.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, that the lock here disclosed ailords a very secure manner of locking the cylinder against rotation in its casing and that picking or decoding of the lock by any known method is precluded.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder rotatable therein, a plurality of key operable tumblers carried by the cylinder and having linear movement transversely of the cylinder, and another tumbler movable in a plane angularly disposed to the plane of movement of said plurality of tumblers and operable by any one of said plurality of key operable tumblers to a position interlocking the cylinder and its mounting member.

2. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder rotatable in the mounting member bore, a plurality of key operable tumblers carried by the cylinder and yieldably urged to locked position and retractible by a proper key to an unlocked position, an auxiliary tumbler to secure the cylinder against rotation in the bore, said auxiliary tumbler being yieldably urged to an inactive position, means whereby any key operable tumbler in any but fully retracted unlocked position holds the auxiliary tumbler in its operative position, and means whereby said auxiliary tumbler is moved to its operative position by the yieldable projection of any key operable tumbler to its operative position.

3. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder rotatable in the mounting member bore, key operable locking tum-blers Within the lock cylinder yieldably urged to an operative locked position and retractible by a proper key to an inoperative unlocked position, an auxiliary tumbler to interlock the cylinder and mounting member, spring means to yieldably urge the auxiliary tumbler to an inactive position at which it is ineiective to restrain rotation of the lock cylinder, and said auxiliary tumbler being engageable by the key operable tumblers to be projected thereby against the action of its spring means to its operative position, except when said key operable tumblers are properly retracted to their inoperative unlocked positions.

4. In. a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder rotatable in the mounting member tbore, a plurality of key operable locking tumblers carried by the cylinder and yieldably projected to an operative locked position and retractible to an inoperative unlocked position by a proper key, an auxiliary locking tumbler movable toward and away from the lock cylinder and operable when in an extended position to interlock the cylinder and mounting member, means to yieldably urge the auxiliary locking tumbler toward the cylinder to an inactive position, and cooperating means carried by the key operable tumblers and the auxiliary tumbler to project the auxiliary tumbler away from the cylinder to its operative position, said means becoming ineffective upon retraction of all of the key operable tumblers, whereby the auxiliary tumbler is moved by its spring means to inactive position upon such retraction of the key operable tumblers.

5. In a lock, a bored mounting member having a groove communicating with its bore, a. lock cylinder mounted in the bore, key operable tumblers carried by the cylinder and yieldably projected to an operative locked position and retractible by a proper key to an inoperative unlocked position, and an auxiliary tumbler to project into the groove in the mounting member and engaging the cylinder to interlock the cylinder and mounting member, said auxiliary therefrom into locking engagement with ther tumbler being urged to its operative position projecting into the groove by the yieldable projection of any key operable) tumbler toward its operative locked position or by the projection of any key operable tumbler against its yieldable projecting means beyond the normal key controlled position.

6. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder in the mounting member bore, key operable tumblers mounted for linear l.movement transversely of the lock cylinder and yieldably urged to a locked position and retractible by a proper key .to an of said tumblers having a notch in one of its side edges, and an auxiliary tumbler mounted in the lock cylinder to project therefrom into locking engagement with the mounting member to restrain the cylinder against rotation,

said auxiliary tumbler being so positioned with respect to the tumblers as to have a part engageable in the notches of the tumblers when said key operable tumbers are retracted by the insertion of the key, whereby said auxiliary tumbler is movable out of engagement with the mounting member to free the cylinder for rotation.

7. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder in the mounting member bore, key operable tumblers carried by the lock cylinder yieldably urged to a locked position and retractible by a proper key to an unlocked position, each of said tumblers having a V-shaped notch in one of its side edges, an auxiliary tumbler mounted in the lock cylinder to project mounting member to restrain the cylinder against movement, said auxiliary tumbler being so positioned with respect to the tumblers as to have a part engageable in the notches of the tumblers when said key orable tumblers are retracted by the insertion of the key, whereby said auxiliary tumbler is movable out of engagement with the mounting member to free the cylinder for movement, and spring means to move the auxiliary tumbler out of engagement with the mounting member.

8. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder movable in the mounting member bore, key operable tumblers within the lock cylinder yieldably urged to one position and movable by a proper key to another position, said tumblers each having a V-shaped unlocking notch and the notches of all of the tumblers being aligned when the tumblers are in their positions to which they are actuated by the key, an auxiliary tumbler, and means to yieldably urge the auxiliary tumbler from a position interlocking the cylinder and mounting member to a position engaged in the aligned notches of the key operable tumblers and disengaged from the mounting member to free the cylinder for movement.

9. In a lock, a bored mounting member having a groove communicating with its bore, a lock cylinder rotatable in the bore, a key operable linearly movable tumbler carried by the cylinder and yieldably projected to one position and operable by a key against the action of its urging means to a second position, an auxiliary tumbler disposed in an opening in the lock cylinder and projectible therefrom into the groove in the mounting member to secure the cylinder` against rotation, one tumbler extending transversely over said opening in which the auxiliary tumbler is disposed,

unlocked position, each edge of the key operable gages the auxiliary tumbler when the key operable tumbler is in its first designated position to hold the auxiliary tumbler in the groove in the mounting member and the notch is in line with the auxiliary tumbler when the key operable tumbler is in its second designated position, whereby the auxiliary tumbler is free to move wholly within the periphery of the lock cylinder to free the cylinder yfor rotation, and spring means to so project the auxiliary tumbler into the lock cylinder.

10. In a lock, a mounting member, a lock cylinder in the mounting member, said lock cylinder having a longitudinal keyway and a transverse tumbler receiving recess communicating with the keyway, said recess being open at one end to the periphery of the lock cylinder, an endwise movable key operable tumbler, a spring to yieldably urge the key operable tumbler toward the other end of its recess, common means to close the open end of the recess and retain the spring in position, and means operable by the tumbler to afford a locking engagement with the mounting member.

11. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder movable in the mounting member bore, key operable tumblers movable in straight lines transversely of and entirely within the cylinder, y

spring means to yieldably urge the tumblers to an operative position from which they are movable by a proper key to an inactive position, means to retain the tumblers in the cylinder so\ that no portion thereof projects from the cylin" der in either of their positions, and locking means carried by the cylinder and operable by the tumblers into locking engagement with the mounting member, said locking means being retractible within the cylinder to free the cylinder for movement upon movement of the tumblers to said inactive position by the insertion of a key into the cylinder.

12. In a lock, a mounting member, a lock cylinder in the mounting member, endwise movable key operable tumblers within the cylinder and held therein so that no portion of the tumblers at any time projects from the cylinder, and locking means carried by the cylinder and adapted to be projected into operative locking engagement with the mounting member by any one of the key operable tumblers, and means to automatically free the locking means from locking engagement with the mounting member upon retraction of the key operable tumblers by the insertion of a proper key.

13. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder in the mounting member bore, said cylinder having a longitudinal keyway and transverse tumbler receiving recesses communieating with the keyway, said recesses being open at one end, endwise movable plate tumblers disposed in said recesses to be engageable by a key inserted in the keyway, springs to yieldably urge the tumblers toward the other ends of the recesses, a plate closing the open ends of the recesses and aiording a support for said springs, said plate being substantially flush with the cylindrical surface of the cylinder so that no portion thereof projects beyond the cylinder surface, and means operable by said tumblers and projectible from the side of the cylinder into locking` engagement. with the mounting member to releasably secure the cylinder against movement. 14. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder within the mounting member, said lock cylinder being formed with a plurality of tumbler receiving recesses extending diametrically into the cylinder open at one end and having aside opening communicating with the sides of the recesses, key operable tumblers in said recesses arranged to crossthe inner end of -said side opening, individual springs for the tumblers bearing on the outer ends thereof, a barrier secured to the cylinder across the open end of the recesses and against which the springs bear sothat the key operable tumblers are yieldably urged toward the other ends of the recesses, and an auxiliary locking tumbler disposed in said side opening with its inner edge arranged for engagement with the key operable tumblers to bepushed thereby outwardly of said opening and into operative locking engagementwith the mounting member, the formation of the sides of the key operable tumbler engageable with the auxiliary tumbler being such that when all of the key operable tumblers are retracted to their unlocked positions by the insertion of a proper key, said auxiliary tumbler is movable entirely into the side opening to free the cylinder for movement in the mounting member.

-' 15. In a lock, a mounting member, a lock cylinder movable therein, the cylinder and mounting member, key operable tumblers" movable in straight lines within the barrel, spring means to project the tumblers to 'their operative positions, and cooperating means on the locking bar and all of the key operable tumblers to transmit motion of the tumblers produced by their spring means to the locking bar, the spring means acting on any one tumbler being sufficiently strong to actuate the locking bar, whereby the projection of any key operable tumbler to its operative position moves the locking bar to its operative interlocking position.

16. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder rotatable therein, key operable tumblers carried by the cylinder and movable in straight lines transversely of the cylinder, spring means to project the tumblers to operative positions from which they are retractible by a proper key, a locking bar carried by the lock cylinder and projectible into locking engagement with the mounting member, cooperating means on the locking bar and all of said key operable tumblers to transmit motion-of the tumblers' produced by their spring means to the locking bar and thereby project the locking bar into locking engagement with the mounting member, and spring means to oppose such projection of the locking bar by the key operable tumblers, said last named spring means being weaker than the spring means of any one tumbler whereby the projection of any one tumbler to its operative position by its spring means moves the locking bar to its operative position having locking engagement with the mounting member.

17. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder movable in the mounting member bore, key operable tumblers within the lock cylinder and movable in straight lines transversely of the cylinder, spring means to yieldably .urge the tumblers to an operative position from which they are movable by a. proper key to an a locking bar to interlock' inactive position, said tumblers having notches in one side edge so located that the notches of all of the tumblers are aligned when the tumblers are in their key actuated inactive positions, a locking bar carried by the cylinder and movable in a plane substantially perpendicular to said side edges of the tumblers and so located as to engage in the aligned notches of the tumblers when said tumblers are moved to their inactive positions and to be held in a position projecting from the cylinder and into locking engagement with the mounting member by the side edge of any tumbler not in fully inactive position, and a light spring to urge the locking bar out of locking engagement with the mounting member and into the aligned notches of the tumblers to free the cylinder for rotation upon actuation of all of its tumblers to inactive position.

18. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a

lock cylinder movable in the mounting member bore, locking tumblers carried by the cylinder and movable in straight lines with one side edge of all of the tumblers in planar alignment, a locking bar movable in an opening through the side of the cylinder opposite said side edges of the tumblers and engageable with said side edges of the tumblers to be held thereby in an operative position projecting from the cylinder and actively engaging the mounting member to secure the cylinder against movement, said side edges of the tumblers having notches so located with respect to the range of movement of the tumblers andthe location of the locking bar as to be in alignment with each other and the locking bar upon actuation'of the tumblers by a proper key to their inactive positions, whereby said locking bar is movable into said aligned notches and out of locking engagement with the mounting member, and all of said notches having inclined sides, whereby the movement of any tumbler out of its fully inactive position moves the locking bar outwardly of the cylinder and into locking engagement with the mounting member.

19. In a lock, a bored mounting member, a lock cylinder movable in the mounting member bore, locking tumblers carried by the cylinder and movable in straight lines with one side edge of all of the tumblers in planar alignment, a locking bar movable in an opening through the sideof the cylinder opposite said side edges of the tumblers and engageable with said side edges of the tumblers to be held thereby in an operative position projecting from the cylinder and actively engaging the mounting member to secure the cylinder against movement, said side edges of the tumblers having notches so located with respect to the range of movement of the tumblers and the location of the locking bar as to be in alignment with each other and the locking bar upon actuation of the tumblers by a proper key to their inactive positions, whereby said locking bar is movable into said aligned notches vand out of locking engagement with the mounting member, and all of said notches having inclined sides, whereby the movement of any tumbler out of its fully inactive position moves the locking bar outwardly of the cylinder and into locking engagement with the mounting member, spring means to move the locking tumblers, and spring means operable onl the locking bar to cause the same to engage the tumblers at all times and enter the aligned notches in the side edges thereof upon key actuation of the tumblers to their inactive positions, said last named spring means being weaker than the spring means of any one tumbler so as not to interfere with the projection of the locking bar to active position by any one tumbler.

20. A cylinder lock of the character described comprising a bored casing having diametrically opposite longitudinal grooves opening to its bore, a lock cylinder rotatable in the bore, key operable tumblers mounted in said cylinder, auxiliary locking tumblers mounted in said cylinder at opposite sides of the key operable tumblers and disposed transversely to the key operable tumblers, said auxiliary locking tumblers having their inner edges beveled to coact with V-shaped notches in the key operable tumblers, springs to yieldably urge the key operable tumblers to a normal locked position, and weaker springs acting on said auxiliary locking tumblers to yieldably urge the same toward the key operable tumblers whereby said rst mentioned springs project the locking tumblers outwardly into the longitudinal grooves in the casing.

21. A lock of the character described comprising a bored casing having diametrically opposite longitudinal grooves in communication with its bore, a cylinder rotatably mounted in said bore and having a keyway extending longitudinally therethrough with tumbler pockets in open communication with said keyway and disposed transversely with respect thereto, and also having diametrically opposite slots extending transversely from and in open communication with the tum-` bler pockets to the periphery of the cylinder to register with the longitudinal grooves in the casing when the cylinder is in a locked position of rotation, key `operable tumblers disposed in said tumbler pockets, said key operable tumblers having opposite notches to be aligned with the diametrically opposite slots in the cylinder upon retraction of the tumblers to predetermined positions by a proper key, auxiliary locking tumblers radially slidable in said slots and projectible outwardly of the cylinder into said longitudinal grooves in the casing by the sides of the notches in the tumblers.

22. A cylinder lock as deined in claim 21 in which one of the key operable tumblers has two sets of opposite notches to receive the auxiliary locking tumblers, each set adapted to be brought into alignment with the auxiliary tumblers by a diierent key, whereby the same lock is operable by either of two keys.

23. A lock of the character described comprising a casing having a bore, a cylinder rotatable in the bore and having a keyway running longitudinally therein, key operable tumblers carried by said cylinder and accessible from said keyway, each of said key operable tumblers having its opposite sides notched, and two locking tumblers carried by said cylinder at opposite sides of said key operable tumblers and transversely to the same and operable by the key operable tumblers to engage in recesses in the wall of the casing.

24. A locking mechanism of the class described adapted for use with a supporting body having a bore formed therein and provided with a slot opening into said bore, comprising: a. plug rotatably mounted in said bore; means carried by said plug for engagement in said groove; means for resisting movement oi' said preventing means into said groove; means for thrusting said preventing means into said groove including a plurality of tumbler. pins; and spring means for moving said tumbler pins into actuating position.

SAMUEL A. LISS. 

